1212_bus_vspink1Have you ever wondered why outside of Tyra Banks, you never saw any women of color, more specifically black women advertised anywhere in Victoris’a Secret? I love the VS brand, I really do. But it always bothered me that there wasn’t a fair representation of women of color in there.  I’ve never seen any Latina, Middle Eastern,or Asian women represented.  It’s sad that in this day and age this is still an issue. 

Victoria’s Secret launched a collegiate line including 33 schools back in June of 2008.  Only recently though, they decided to include HBCUs.  While they won’t admit it, I suspect they sped up the inclusion because of a young lady Amelia Reid who started a movement on Facebook called “HBCU Ladies Wear Victoria’s Secret Pink Too” and blogged about her displeasure that people like her were not represented. Not only is she an HBCU student, she is also an employee of Limited Brands- the parent company that owns VS.  Hhhhmmmmm. 

In any case, while late, VS is now in partnership with some HBCUs and is offering paid internships and scholarships to HBCU students. I think in theory it’s a great idea and it will help further the agenda of getting more black women educated and opportunities in the industry.  But I can’t help but wonder if this is just a move to pacify us. Yes, the CEO Richard Dent claims the company had been in talks with HBCUs way before Amelia’s blog.  I’m on the fence with that one.  We all know how the corporate heads try to cover their tracks.  I’ll definitely be watching as this unfolds. If you want to read the entire story, you can find it on Black Enterprise at http://www.blackenterprise.com/business/business-news/2008/12/16/pink-rolls-out-hbcu-apparel/

Til next time.

Adrienne Graham

Someone sent me an email this morning with this long drawn out explanation of how we, Black folks, don’t apply for scholarships.   Rather than posting that long note, I figured I’d just cut to the chase and bring you the links to apply.  Remember, education is vitally important to your career success.  Even if you can’t use  this information, you probably know someone who could.  Happy hunting!

1) BELL LABS FELLOWSHIPS FOR UNDER REPRESENTED MINORITIES
http://www.bell-labs.com/fellowships/CRFP/info.html

2) Student Inventors Scholarships
>> http://www.invent.org/collegiate
>> http://www.invent.org/collegiate/
>> 3) Student Video Scholarships
>> http://www.christophers.org/vidcon2k.html
>> 4) Coca-Cola Two Year College Scholarships
>> http://www.coca-colascholars.org/programs.html
>> 5) Holocaust Remembrance Scholarships
>>http://holocaust.hklaw.com/
>> 6) Ayn Rand Essay Scholarships

http://www.aynrand.org/contests/

>> 7) Brand Essay Competition
>>http://www.instituteforbrandleadership.org/IBLEssayContest-2002Rules.htm
>> 8) Gates Millennium Scholarships (major)
>> http://www.gmsp.org/nominationmaterials/read.dbm?ID=3D12
>> 9) Xerox Scholarships for Students
>>http://www2.xerox.com/go/xrx/about_xerox/about_xerox_detail.jsp
>> 10) Sports Scholarships and Internships
>>
http://www.ncaa.org/about/scholarships.html

11) National Assoc. of Black Journalists Scholarships (NABJ)
>> http://www.nabj.org/html/studentsvcs.html
>> 12) Saul T. Wilson Scholarships (Veterinary)
>> http://www.aphis.usda.gov/mb/mrphr/jobs/stw.html
>> 13) Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund

http://www.thurgoodmarshallfund.org/home/home.php

>> 14) FinAid: The Smart Students Guide to Financial Aid
 http://www.finaid.org/
>> 15) Presidential Freedom Scholarships
>> http://www.nationalservice.org/scholarships/
>> 16) Microsoft Scholarship Program
>> http://www.microsoft.com/college/scholarships/minority.asp
>> 17) Wired Scholar Free Scholarship Search
>>http://www.wiredscholar.com/paying/scholarship_search/pay_scholarship
>> 18) Hope Scholarships &Lifetime Credits
>> http://www.ed.gov/inits/hope/
>> 19) William Randolph Hearst Endowed Scholarship for Minority Students http://www.apsanet.org/PS/grants/aspen3.cfm
>> 20) Multiple List of Minority Scholarships
>>http://gehon.ir.miami.edu/financial-assistance/Scholarship/black.html
>> 21) Guaranteed Scholarships

http://www.guaranteed-scholarships.com/

>> 22) BOEING scholarships (some HBCU connects)
>>http://www.boeing.com/companyoffices/educationrelations/scholarships
>> 23) Easley National Scholarship Program
>> http://www.naas.org/senior.htm
>> 24) Maryland Artists Scholarships

 http://www.maef.org/
>> 26) JackiTuckfield Memorial Graduate Business Scholarship (for AA students in South Florida)
>>http://www.jackituckfield.org/
>> 27) Historically Black College & University Scholarships
>> http://www.iesabroad.org/info/hbcu.htm
>> 28) Actuarial Scholarships for Minority Students
>> http://www.beanactuary.org/minority/scholarships.htm
>> 29) International Students Scholarships & Aid Help
>> http://www.iefa.org/
>> 30) College Board Scholarship Search

http://apps.collegeboard.com/cbsearch_ss/welcome.jsp

>> 31) Burger King Scholarship Program
>> http://www.bkscholars.csfa.org/
>> 32) Siemens Westinghouse Competition
>> http://www.siemens-foundationorg/

>> 33) GE and LuLac Scholarship Funds
>> http://www.lulac.org/Programs/Scholar.html
>> 34) College Net ‘ s Scholarship Database
>> http://mach25.collegenet.com/cgi-bin/M25/index
>> 35) Union Sponsored Scholarships and Aid
>> http://www.aflcioorg/scholarships/scholar.htm
>> 36) Federal Scholarships &Aid Gateways 25 Scholarship Gateways
>> from Black Excel http://www.blackexcel.org/25scholarships.htm
>> 37) Scholarship &Financial Aid Help

 http://www.blackexcel.org/fin-sch.htm
>> 38) Scholarship Links (Ed Finance Group)
>> http://www.efg.net/link_scholarship.htm
>> 39) FAFSA On The Web (Your Key Aid Form &Info)
>> http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/
>> 40) Aid &Resources For Re-Entry Students
>> http://www.back2college.com/
>> 41) Scholarships and Fellowships
>> http://www.osc.cuny.edu/sep/links.html
>> 42) Scholarships for Study in Paralegal Studies
>> http://www.paralegals.org/Choice/2000west.htm
>> 43) HBCU Packard Sit Abroad Scholarships (for study around the world)
>>http://www.sit.edu/studyabroad/packard_nomination.html
>> 44) Scholarship and Fellowship Opportunities
>> http://ccmi.uchicago.edu/schl1.html
>> 45) INROADS internships

http://www.inroads.org/
>> 46) ACT-SO BEUROE Olympics of the Mind ‘A Scholarships
http://www.naacp.org/work/actso/act-so.shtml

>> 47) Black Alliance for Educational Options Scholarships
http://www.baeo.org/options/privatelyfinanced.jsp

>> 48) Science Net Scholarship Listing
>> http://www.sciencenet.emory.edu/undergrad/scholarships.html

>> 49) Graduate Fellowships For Minorities Nationwide
>>
http://cuinfo.cornell.edu/

 >> 50) RHODES SCHOLARSHIPS AT OXFORD
>> http://www.rhodesscholar.org/info.html

>> 51) The Roothbert Scholarship Fund
>> http://www.roothbertfund.org/school